Oil Tank Fire Emits Hydrogen Sulfide
A 2,500-gallon oil storage tank caught fire Saturday in the mountains just south of Santa Paula, sending black smoke wafting over the town’s citrus orchards.
Officials said the storage tank owned by Ojai Oil Co. on a field on South Mountain erupted into flames shortly after 10:30 a.m. and threatened another tank as well as the surrounding brush before fire crews snuffed out the fire about 11:15 a.m.
No injuries were reported and investigators are continuing to search for a cause.
Although firefighters were able to douse the blaze quickly, they had to contend with another, potentially more dangerous threat: noxious fumes.
The fire emitted hydrogen sulfide, a clear and potentially fatal gas, forcing crews to use bottled oxygen and wear protective clothing.
“That was a fairly serious threat,” said Vicki Crabtree, spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department. The fumes dissipated before causing any injuries.
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